From the Beginning
by Coral179
Summary: Azir, The Emperor of the Sands. He was once a foolish noble man, now, he is gone.


Greetings. This is an author's note so, I guess if you want, you can skip this, Cause this ain't long now that I finished it. Enjoy, I have spent a great deal of time working on this. It might be hard to understand it at first, because I had this weird urge to write it like that. But take your sweet time.

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><p><strong>From The Beginning<strong>

**_My love… Please be safe and return to me. _****The tired lady cried at the pain in her legs. The rubble was nestled on both her legs, she recognized that piece was part of her home, her yellow stone home. She mindlessly stared at her hand, she was previously admiring the pendant that he gave her. She ran her thumb over the blue stone, deep blue sapphire enwrapped in gold.**

**_Oh… I guess this is where it end… _****She could feel the whole city rumbling. Sand that built up on the roof over the years, rained on her. She was crying, she knew it, but she couldn't feel it. She couldn't feel her legs anymore and her arms was borderline numb. In the pool she was laid in, she could see the red fluid dancing to the rumbling.**

_Tell me to not go if you want me to stay, and I will stay. For you, my love, I will do it all. _He hugged her. She realized he was a foolish noble man from the second she met him. She couldn't dare to stop him. _Answer me my love… Please tell me I am right… that this bad feeling is wrong… that my men are trustworthy. _He pulled her into a tighter embrace. _I love you, I love you dark hair, you unblemished skin and your smile. I love the way you support me, I love everything about you- even your beautiful flaws. _The embrace was so tight, there was no extra space between them.

_I can not tell you to no go. You believed in him, and so I will support you. You are the emperor of this beautiful city. Besides you leave in seven suns and will return soon after. You have time to think dear. _She pushed back a little and pressed her hand onto his jaw. With her thumb, she traced his cheek. Both of them didn't want to let go, but someone had to. She slipped her way out of his hold. Their room, a special room, a circular room with a dome ceiling and well placed window to let the sun rain in. She started to hum to an old song, and then came the dancing.

_I do hope you are right my love. When I return, we will be happy. _He watched in awe, his wife- his love. She may not be the most flashiest woman out there, nor she was the most beautiful. But her beauty comes from the inner most part of her, her heart. He could take in her simple beauty all day, but he has a city to rule. A city so beautiful in the land of desiccated sand. Two beautiful things in his life and he can not chose between the two. Sometimes, he thinks his wife should be first, but she says the city is first. He stands there. _Ah. _He notices the blue glint on her neck. It was his present to her. She stops and then takes his hand, rubbing it with her thumb.

_My love, why do you worry? _He placed his hand on her hips and twirls her around. _What do you mean dear? _She fights the urged to look away and smiles at him. _You always rub your thumb on something when you worry- namely me or something I gave you. _He chuckled- but then realized his wife should not be worrying. _You should not worry, I stand behind you. _She looks up with a surprised face. She takes a step back but did not realized that his leg was in between hers and they fall. He stops himself as he did not want to crush his tiny wife.

_Ah! I do not mean to worry you… _She averts her eyes. With a hand, he holds her chin and turns her head back to face him. _Do tell me my love. I am curious. You are not cheating on me I suppose. _He teased her and chuckled at her reaction. _Wh- Why would you think such things?! You know I- _She teared up. He kisses her tears away. Like any women, she wants a family, children, but her husband is the emperor. She can not simply accomplish her wishes without being criticized. The emperor is young and she is young too. They would have plenty of time.

_Do you not want me to stay? _He sat back up, taking her with him. _Wha- No, I do want you here. _She insisted that she wanted him there, but she does not tell him to stay. _Then why do you not tell me to not go? I do not understand. Please tell me my love. Why are you not selfish? _He begged her to answer him. Does she not love him enough? _I am, I am very selfish. _She cried. _I want you to stay, but you can not. You must do the best for this city. I come second, you know that, so do not try to fight it. _She stood up and walked away.

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><p><em>Do you think that the Ascension ritual will really work? They did warn us of only using it when it is a dire moment… <em>The emperor started. _Nonsense. _The emperor's magi dismissed. _You want the city to grow right? _And though he did, he couldn't bring himself to answer it. _This will ensure that Shurima will never fall, it will grow and grow! The whole world will speak of Shurima! _The emperor watched his magi. The magi only has the best intention on his mind, right? He shook the idea away from his mind, he had to trust his men.

_When do we leave for the ritual? _The young and foolish emperor asked. _Tomorrow morning, when the sun is about to rise. _The emperor nodded and dismissed himself from the meeting room. Something far beneath his mind, it was bugging him. If they were to traditions and believers in their ancestors, why disobey them to gain power? _No, I must trust my men. But tomorrow? That soon? I will tell my love tonight when she is in her room and preferably asleep._

_I hope my love is understanding. _The emperor knocked on her doors, waiting patiently for an answer. When he heard an acknowledgement, he walked in. She was by her chair, perhaps the robe she is wearing was on the chair before. _My dear? _He walked closer. _My love, why are you out of bed? You should be sleeping._

_I could ask you the same thing. It is late and you need rest. _The emperor shook his head. _I came to tell you something, and you will tell me what you want to say too. _He took noticed of her plans and sat on her bed. He motioned her to come. _I thought about our conversation earlier today… And I thought that maybe I should not be selfish and tell you what I wish for. _She sat on his lap. _Then what is it that you wish for? _He smiled, leaning closer to her face. _Well! Um. _She burned up. _I want to be a- _She stuttered. _A what? _He asked, he found this ordeal amusing. He pushed her hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear.

_A mother! _She blurted_, _burning even more. _I want a family. _She got nothing to lose now. _I want children, someone I can mother and teach. I want to show them the great success their father has done. I was someone I can pass my happiness to. And… someone to keep me company… _He was surprised at her sudden outburst. She doesn't usually do that- except for that one time.

_So I am not enough? _He chuckled. _Wha- No! It is just that you go away… and I just want to know you love me… _She turned away. He pushed her unto the bed, he won't let her slip away, forcing her to look at him. _I um! _He was having fun teasing her. _I leave tomorrow morning love. Shall we take a head start? _He was slipping under her robe, she was wearing a nightgown under.

He stopped when she stopped moving. He got off the bed.

_No, please stay. _She pulled on his sleeve. _I- I want you here. _She watched him join her in bed. He rested his hand on her cheek and she closed her eyes. _Now? _She asked so innocently, that he almost choked on the air. _You do not know, do you? _He coughed. _They said to give you my body when ever you wanted it and I do know a baby comes from a woman belly… _She trailed off.

_Then let me teach you. _And things went quite nicely from there, slow but pleasantly.

_I hope this is the right move. If it fails… Shurima falls… _The emperor woke up just before dawn, his movement waking her up. _Dear? _The emperor looked at his love, he was dressing in his robe. _What is wrong? _He shook his head. _Do not lie, your brows are furrowed. _She always knew him. _I- Should I trust him? He is my magi but… We are defying the laws. _She watched him carefully. It is a wife's job to assure her husband in times of need- and this was one of them. _I think… sometimes- to grow, we must forget traditions… _She thought about their disapproved marriage. _Maybe he is not trustworthy, but his idea, to grow is admirable. If you think that this is the right way- then it will. I have yet to see you wrong. _She held his hand and rubbed her thumb. _I worry for you. _He stopped her from moving her thumb by placing his other hand over hers.

_Do not worry for me, instead I worry for you. But worrying is not going to take us anywhere, is it? _She smiled. _Do not worry, I think it would be for the best if you followed your heart. _But what his heart and mind says are different. No, that didn't matter. His heart had split into two. To go and not to go. _Go. _She urged. With a swallow and a nod, he left for the ritual.

**_I wonder if he lives. I hope he does. We can not replace a king, but his wife, we are rather replaceable. _****Her eyes were losing concentrations, everything was blurry now. The midday sun peaked through the hole from the ceiling. The missing piece was on the ground and had crushed her legs. She realized she would never become a mother, never have her family and then she was crying even harder.**

**_This is bad. How stupid can they be? If one is corrupted and goes through with the ritual… I must hurry. My brother is already there. _****The jackal was at the edge of the city. He quickly scanned for life. Many were dead, dying or not even trying to live anymore. He blinked when he found one. It was in the emperor's home. Could it be the emperor?**

**_Please let this person live. I do not care who it is now, at least it is someone fighting for something. _****He rushed over and found a young lady crying. She was face down, bleeding to death. Her hand was outstretched and caressing a blue pendent. He remembers that face. It was of the girl he saw, and when she grew older, she wedded the emperor. They were so happy. But now it comes to an end. He knelt down and looked at her. **

**_My queen. _****He started and she looked at him, trying to figure out who was calling out to her. ****_I am one of the ascended from ancient legends. Do you know why they are attempting the ritual? _****She gave him a blank stare, trying to sort it all through. ****_Ritual? _****It was obvious that the queen had no idea what her king was doing and he ultimately killed her. ****_I want to see him._**

**_I want to see my dear… I want to make sure he is okay, that he will live and survive. I want to see him before I go. _****She cried to the ancient ascended. He looked at her with pity. He swallowed and with a gulp, he crushed the piece of her home that was on her legs. ****_Can you feel your legs? Can you move? _****He asked, and she shook her head. Then he tried his best to heal them. She still couldn't feel her legs, but by his attempt to pick her up, she could use them.**

**_I… Thank you. But why do you waste your magic on me? _****The ascended simply smiled at her. ****_You are important to the emperor, if you do not live and he does, I am afraid he would be replaced. Come now, we must leave this city- it is falling apart. _****She cried out. **

**_It was only yesterday that it was so peaceful… How did it all come apart? _****He picked her up into his arms. ****_I do not know, but we need to run. My brother needs me. _****She pushed him away. ****_Go. Go to your brother and save my king. I can walk. I will be fine. _****He gave her a skeptical look before sighing. ****_Alright, be careful. _****He let her down and watched her disappear. Then he ran to the Sun Disk.**

**_Dear gods, please lead them to safety and peace. _****She prayed as she struggled to make her was to the outskirts of the city. She watch the whole world she knew crumble. A single white lightning struck the Sun Disk and it all fell apart. It sent a shockwave and she cried. She knew this was the end for them, for her and for him. She teared her eyes away and began her tread across the desert.**

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><p>Meh. I don't know anymore, but if you see any apostrophe that was italicized, TELL ME. Thanks. Now if only I can remember my login... And then I realize, that Azir here wasn't arrogant. But perhaps, just perhaps, they had collected wrong information about the fallen Emperor? I mean, if Sivir is an descendant, he must have procreated and I would feel terrible if the woman he chose was someone he did not love. Yes, I know, they married for blood not love. BUT PERHAPS. Who am I kidding. I give. AZIR TAKE YOU ARROGANT AND LEAVE ME BE.<p> 


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